I'm On the Right Track
Have you gotten a chance to listen to Lady Gaga's new song?
I sure have. (Excess stuff is behind the cuts; feel free to skip)
I felt like Lady Gaga wrote it just for the rainbow crowd. She did, of course, but I mean as a gift to us.
For a few years now, GLBT has been a trend. I really rolled my eyes when the news made a big deal about the gay suicides. "How the fuck is this news?! How is this new to you?! Yeah, it's terrible, but why the fuck are you acting like this is a recent pandemic? This is not news! This is what happens to GLBT people!"
I made a face when Seventeen (a magazine for 13 year olds!) had an article saying that the must-have accessory for the beach was "a gay best friend". It was irritating, but I figured that society was just in the newbie "won't shut up about it" stage with gays. The one I went through when I was ten (*kawf*until the end of high school*kawf*).
I mean, eventually sitcoms didn't make a big deal about having non-white people on sitcoms. Eventually the mainstream would calm down and integrate gay and lesbian characters into everything without thought. This song, to me, was supposed to be part of the big societal orgasm, which meant eventually stuff would mellow out somewhat and it would become a non-issue.
Because of all of that, at some point in my mind I twisted "Born This Way" into something it was never meant to be. I wasn't thinking of it as a song at all, but as a weapon.
Point it at the baw-ing whiners at Queer rage and blast their "Lady Gaga hates Transpeople!" arguments. Point it at ignorance and have it change some minds. Point it at self-loathing and turn it into empowerment. Point it at the people who said Gaga doesn't care/is using gays, add a few choice words and show them the errors of their ways. Take that, complainers! Shut your whore mouths when Gaga is singing!
I wasn't thinking of myself or my musical tastes, but about what other people would say and think. I count three ironies.
The lyrics leaked a few days ago. I read them and instantly I was apprehensive. I mean, even I couldn't ignore how... how "in your face" they looked. Oh, Gaga, how can you make this work? I thought. I wasn't excited. I was disappointed by how heavy-handed it was. How would this be received?
As it dawned on me that I'd have to listen to it, too, I began to feel afraid of how much I'd like it. My musical tastes vary, but if I don't like a song, it'll take an act of severe psychology for me to give it a second try. If I didn't like Born This Way, I'd have to wait another lifetime to get another mainstream radio-played song that mentioned GLB explicitly. And I could just forget about hearing a song which says "transgender".
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems to me like this is the first explicit "for the rainbow" song on the radio*. Yes, there are songs by gay artists on the radio, probably love songs, too, but are there any that are as blunt as to have a female voice singing about romantic love for a female? There are a few songs with subtext and hints, and even some with quick lines, barely audible. But any like Born This Way that stand alone without a music video?
As for possible TG,there's Lola. But as you can see from the link, there seems to be some debate about what Lola is exactly- Transvestite (male identified, crossdressing) or transsexual (female identified, male bodied).
Finally, as I tried to draw, I thought "screw it, don't save it. If you build it up, it'll never live up to your own hype."[2] So I played it for the first time.
My eyes were tearing up. Not kidding.
There's nothing to say about the song as far as I'm concerned. I don't want to build it up or try to sell it to people who have not heard it. Hell, I don't even want to sell it to people who heard it and find that it isn't pleasing to their ears because of their musical tastes.
I like it. It's relevant to me. Therefore, this song is for me. That's all.
I will say that reading the lyrics cold and judging the song based on just that (even if you plan to change your mind and give it a chance after) is a bad idea, and I regret my impatience. With the music, it makes so. Much. Sense.[3]
A lot of the fans on thehausofgaga were disappointed with the song, which I understand. It's more happy, more 90's pop, and that doesn't sound good to everyone's ears. And heck, there are a lot of Gaga's songs that are popular that I just don't like (like all but four of "The Fame Monster"...). I feel really sorry for the fans who were disappointed in it because I saw how long they waited and how excited they were. Letdowns suck. It's not as though they can help not liking it. We can't choose what we like (as Gaga said!).
Hey... y'know, I just realized that if I hadn't liked this song, I wouldn't have disappointed her! Even if it was a gift! 'Cause the gift is saying "you don't choose what you like, you just happen to like it because that's how you are!"
Oh, Gaga, you brilliant Mama Monster who loves us all so! I probably won't like a few songs on the new album either :3
That being said, there will be people that I'll have to defend this song to. Not the ones who say "I don't like this song" but the people who have commentary beyond "it's not my musical style."
It's a Madonna Ripoff!
Pop-y, synth-y music tends to sound very similar. Go to a club pumping dance beats and you'll probably call them all "Madonna ripoffs". Maybe if you listened to more dance music, you'd have a wider range of people to accuse of "ripping".
Note- It's one thing to say it sounds a lot like Madonna, another thing to call it "ripping off". This is for the complainers.
Ugh, she's just pandering to the gays!
You know what?
Yeah.
She is marketing to us. She is singing a song about us. The reason why this is so "blatant" to you is because you get pandered to every single day and don't even realize it. Every date movie, every commercial, every sitcom, every single day. Seriously, keep Chandler and Monica's exact storyline, script, and words but replace Chandler with Chelsea and suddenly it's a "special interest" show. Tell me I'm wrong.
Problem is, you're so used to it that it's rote for you and when a song about another group comes out it looks a lot like pandering. But it's the same thing you get with the 3,000 "she was a girl, he was a boy, they were in love" songs on the radio.
(Warning: Angry rant Session ahead)
This argument is so irritating. It's like the people who say "they're forcing their lifestyle down our throats" when there's one gay character. I beg you to pardon my bad language, but what the feck do you think it feels like when I see waves of white people on TV, in movies, everywhere? Forgive me for enjoying something that breaks it up every once in a while and I'm sorry that for 3 minutes Gaga is going to sing about something relevant to me. Promise that after this song, all the scurry different people will crawl back into our hiding places and token spots so you can enjoy a world where everyone is just like you, you kool-aid drinking, target demographic, homogenized Stepford drone.
I truly apologize right there. I know far more chill people than people who actually need to hear that above rant.
Those lyrics are way too heavy handed ("Paaaandering!" part II)
Well good for you that you're so secure in your identity that you don't need this song. As for me? The song helps me. I like it and when I'm upset, I'll probably need it. And I'm not the only one who feels that way. Dislike Born This Way all you want, but please keep it at "I don't like it ". Remarks about the lyrics being "bad" are about as called for as taking the "I believe in and love you" note someone's parent/guardian put into his backpack and saying "this is drivel".
[1]First idiot who says "What about Katy Perry?" in seriousness and isn't trolling (who doesn't love a good lol Trolling?) about it is going to get an earful. Seriously- love it or hate it, if you don't understand that "I Kissed a Girl" is offensive, you need to ask someone.
[2] By the way, let me say that on reflection this is the kind of song that shouldn't be built up. Ever. It's a song that should find someone who needs it. If it's built up, it won't work. You need to be alone and it just come on. Then it's just like a needed voice telling you "hey, look, you're ok. ... And shoot, I am really glad it didn't find me like that. If I was feeling miserable about my issues and turned on the radio and this came on and I heard it for the first time, I'd cry hard.
[3]I'm glad I read the lyrics first because i would've been actual crying if I didn't know already what was coming somewhat. Though I wouldn't understand half of what she was saying.
I sure have. (Excess stuff is behind the cuts; feel free to skip)
I felt like Lady Gaga wrote it just for the rainbow crowd. She did, of course, but I mean as a gift to us.
For a few years now, GLBT has been a trend. I really rolled my eyes when the news made a big deal about the gay suicides. "How the fuck is this news?! How is this new to you?! Yeah, it's terrible, but why the fuck are you acting like this is a recent pandemic? This is not news! This is what happens to GLBT people!"
I made a face when Seventeen (a magazine for 13 year olds!) had an article saying that the must-have accessory for the beach was "a gay best friend". It was irritating, but I figured that society was just in the newbie "won't shut up about it" stage with gays. The one I went through when I was ten (*kawf*until the end of high school*kawf*).
I mean, eventually sitcoms didn't make a big deal about having non-white people on sitcoms. Eventually the mainstream would calm down and integrate gay and lesbian characters into everything without thought. This song, to me, was supposed to be part of the big societal orgasm, which meant eventually stuff would mellow out somewhat and it would become a non-issue.
Because of all of that, at some point in my mind I twisted "Born This Way" into something it was never meant to be. I wasn't thinking of it as a song at all, but as a weapon.
Point it at the baw-ing whiners at Queer rage and blast their "Lady Gaga hates Transpeople!" arguments. Point it at ignorance and have it change some minds. Point it at self-loathing and turn it into empowerment. Point it at the people who said Gaga doesn't care/is using gays, add a few choice words and show them the errors of their ways. Take that, complainers! Shut your whore mouths when Gaga is singing!
I wasn't thinking of myself or my musical tastes, but about what other people would say and think. I count three ironies.
The lyrics leaked a few days ago. I read them and instantly I was apprehensive. I mean, even I couldn't ignore how... how "in your face" they looked. Oh, Gaga, how can you make this work? I thought. I wasn't excited. I was disappointed by how heavy-handed it was. How would this be received?
As it dawned on me that I'd have to listen to it, too, I began to feel afraid of how much I'd like it. My musical tastes vary, but if I don't like a song, it'll take an act of severe psychology for me to give it a second try. If I didn't like Born This Way, I'd have to wait another lifetime to get another mainstream radio-played song that mentioned GLB explicitly. And I could just forget about hearing a song which says "transgender".
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems to me like this is the first explicit "for the rainbow" song on the radio*. Yes, there are songs by gay artists on the radio, probably love songs, too, but are there any that are as blunt as to have a female voice singing about romantic love for a female? There are a few songs with subtext and hints, and even some with quick lines, barely audible. But any like Born This Way that stand alone without a music video?
As for possible TG,there's Lola. But as you can see from the link, there seems to be some debate about what Lola is exactly- Transvestite (male identified, crossdressing) or transsexual (female identified, male bodied).
Finally, as I tried to draw, I thought "screw it, don't save it. If you build it up, it'll never live up to your own hype."[2] So I played it for the first time.
My eyes were tearing up. Not kidding.
There's nothing to say about the song as far as I'm concerned. I don't want to build it up or try to sell it to people who have not heard it. Hell, I don't even want to sell it to people who heard it and find that it isn't pleasing to their ears because of their musical tastes.
I like it. It's relevant to me. Therefore, this song is for me. That's all.
I will say that reading the lyrics cold and judging the song based on just that (even if you plan to change your mind and give it a chance after) is a bad idea, and I regret my impatience. With the music, it makes so. Much. Sense.[3]
A lot of the fans on thehausofgaga were disappointed with the song, which I understand. It's more happy, more 90's pop, and that doesn't sound good to everyone's ears. And heck, there are a lot of Gaga's songs that are popular that I just don't like (like all but four of "The Fame Monster"...). I feel really sorry for the fans who were disappointed in it because I saw how long they waited and how excited they were. Letdowns suck. It's not as though they can help not liking it. We can't choose what we like (as Gaga said!).
Hey... y'know, I just realized that if I hadn't liked this song, I wouldn't have disappointed her! Even if it was a gift! 'Cause the gift is saying "you don't choose what you like, you just happen to like it because that's how you are!"
Oh, Gaga, you brilliant Mama Monster who loves us all so! I probably won't like a few songs on the new album either :3
That being said, there will be people that I'll have to defend this song to. Not the ones who say "I don't like this song" but the people who have commentary beyond "it's not my musical style."
It's a Madonna Ripoff!
Pop-y, synth-y music tends to sound very similar. Go to a club pumping dance beats and you'll probably call them all "Madonna ripoffs". Maybe if you listened to more dance music, you'd have a wider range of people to accuse of "ripping".
Note- It's one thing to say it sounds a lot like Madonna, another thing to call it "ripping off". This is for the complainers.
Ugh, she's just pandering to the gays!
You know what?
Yeah.
She is marketing to us. She is singing a song about us. The reason why this is so "blatant" to you is because you get pandered to every single day and don't even realize it. Every date movie, every commercial, every sitcom, every single day. Seriously, keep Chandler and Monica's exact storyline, script, and words but replace Chandler with Chelsea and suddenly it's a "special interest" show. Tell me I'm wrong.
Problem is, you're so used to it that it's rote for you and when a song about another group comes out it looks a lot like pandering. But it's the same thing you get with the 3,000 "she was a girl, he was a boy, they were in love" songs on the radio.
(Warning: Angry rant Session ahead)
This argument is so irritating. It's like the people who say "they're forcing their lifestyle down our throats" when there's one gay character. I beg you to pardon my bad language, but what the feck do you think it feels like when I see waves of white people on TV, in movies, everywhere? Forgive me for enjoying something that breaks it up every once in a while and I'm sorry that for 3 minutes Gaga is going to sing about something relevant to me. Promise that after this song, all the scurry different people will crawl back into our hiding places and token spots so you can enjoy a world where everyone is just like you, you kool-aid drinking, target demographic, homogenized Stepford drone.
I truly apologize right there. I know far more chill people than people who actually need to hear that above rant.
Those lyrics are way too heavy handed ("Paaaandering!" part II)
Well good for you that you're so secure in your identity that you don't need this song. As for me? The song helps me. I like it and when I'm upset, I'll probably need it. And I'm not the only one who feels that way. Dislike Born This Way all you want, but please keep it at "I don't like it ". Remarks about the lyrics being "bad" are about as called for as taking the "I believe in and love you" note someone's parent/guardian put into his backpack and saying "this is drivel".
[1]First idiot who says "What about Katy Perry?" in seriousness and isn't trolling (who doesn't love a good lol Trolling?) about it is going to get an earful. Seriously- love it or hate it, if you don't understand that "I Kissed a Girl" is offensive, you need to ask someone.
[2] By the way, let me say that on reflection this is the kind of song that shouldn't be built up. Ever. It's a song that should find someone who needs it. If it's built up, it won't work. You need to be alone and it just come on. Then it's just like a needed voice telling you "hey, look, you're ok. ... And shoot, I am really glad it didn't find me like that. If I was feeling miserable about my issues and turned on the radio and this came on and I heard it for the first time, I'd cry hard.
[3]I'm glad I read the lyrics first because i would've been actual crying if I didn't know already what was coming somewhat. Though I wouldn't understand half of what she was saying.